Criminal hackers are taking advantage of Patrick Swayze's death by setting up booby-trapped Web pages containing information about the actor, which automatically trigger fake anti-virus warnings.
This is according to security solutions company Sophos, which says cyber criminals are using search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques to ensure the sites appear high up on search engine rankings.
As a result, Internet users scouring the net for more information on the actor are being sent to Web sites hosting malicious code.
Once on these sites, explains Sophos, Patrick Swayze fans will see fake virus warnings and a recommendation to download bogus anti-virus software. When the malware is installed on a PC or laptop, users risk hackers defrauding them out of their credit card details.
"This is not the first time we have seen hackers taken advantage of the news agenda. The same tactic was used after the death of Natasha Richardson and on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack last week,” says Brett Myroff, CEO of regional distributor, Sophos SA.
“As these criminals become more professional in spreading their fake anti-virus scams, consumers and businesses must be on top of their security game,” he adds.
"If you're running a business, you need to have in place protection that automatically scans the Web sites in the background as your staff visits them,” says Myroff.
“You simply cannot trust that the search results they click on in any single day will not lead them to malicious Web pages deliberately planted by a cyber criminal.”
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